1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to children's party games and, more particularly, to an apparatus that launches items, including candy and small toys, out of a main container when triggered.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is common to have a variety of activities at children's parties to provide entertainment and fun. One of the most popular activities for children at parties, particularly birthday parties, involves the well known piñata.
A typical piñata includes a decorative body, generally made out of papier-mâché, filled with candy and toys that may be suspended from the ceiling and alternately struck by children with a stick until the body is broken and the candy and toys fall to the floor for children to collect. While piñata games of this nature have been a longstanding tradition in many cultures, there are drawbacks associated with typical piñatas. The manner in which the candy and toys fall to the floor produces a single pile of items for children to collect, which may result in only the more aggressive participants collecting all of the items, thereby leaving some children without any candy or toys. Furthermore, this disorganized approach can cause injury to children as they are forced to aggressively rush towards the pile and collide with other children in their desperate effort to collect as much candy and toys as possible, before they are quickly scooped up by other kids. Moreover, because piñatas are generally made out of papier-mâché, they are only suitable for one-time use.
In view of the shortcomings associated with traditional piñatas, there remains a need for a candy and/or toy releasing device that is fun and safe for children, and which can be reused on multiple occasions.